Council meetings in Croydon are be broadcast live on the radio.

Online station Croydon Radio will broadcast full council meetings live from the chamber after winning approval of the authority following a successful trial.

A pilot broadcast in February saw 200 people tune in live and 14,000 people download the recorded version as a podcast.

The next meeting to be broadcast will be tonight, when new mayor Councillor Yvette Hopley will make her inaugural speech.

Councillor Tim Pollard, cabinet member with responsibility for communications, said: “We’re keen to get more people involved in local democracy, and although these meetings are open to the public we know that not everyone can make it along on a Monday evening.

"The popularity of the trial broadcast in February has proved that this is a service that people value.

"I’m also really delighted to be working with Croydon Radio. They’re doing amazing things with their huge team of local presenters to showcase the interesting and diverse range of things that are going on around the borough.”

Tim Longhurst, owner of Croydon Radio, said: “Our trial broadcast from the chamber was one of the most listened-to podcasts we'd put out up to that time and I've no doubt that people will continue to tune in to listen to how our local councillors go about making important decisions.”